- A 1,210-pound bomb packed in a van exploded in the underground parking garage of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000 (mostly from smoke inhalation). The powerful blast left a crater 200 feet wide and several stories deep. The cost for damage to the building and disruption of business for the 360 companies with offices in the Center exceeded $591 million. Fifteen people - the fundamentalist Muslim cleric Sheik Omar Abdul Rahman and 14 of his followers were indicted for the bombing. Rahman was given a life sentence, and the others received prison terms of up to 240 years each.

- Sharing Circle is a monthly symposium on the anthropological, sociological, psychological, and philosophical study of specific topics in various tribal/indigenous, classical polythiestic, neopagan, and intrapersonal spiritualities. Originally, Sharing Circle covered specific topics in specific religions with a presenter, akin to a workshop. Today, Sharing Circle is much more discussion based. Participants focus on one question per gathering and share their experiences and perspectives with others. The experience is both challenging and informational. Many participants state that they are asked to evaluate their beliefs logically and to entertain ideas you may not have considered before.

- On March 1, 1872, the first area in the world to be designated a national park, most of the Yellowstone is in Wyoming, with small sections in Montana and Idaho. It was established by an act of Congress.

- It is one month of the year to take the time to recognize our country's everyday heroes who give their time to help people in need. Presidential Proclamation for Red Cross Month issued each year for March since 1943.

- Read Across America Day is a nationwide reading celebration that takes place annually on March 2—Dr. Seuss’s birthday (or near)! Across the country, thousands of schools, libraries, and community centers participate by bringing together kids, teens, and books, and you can too! Incorporate these guides and activities to celebrate reading with young people!

- Held on the first Saturday of the month, from March-December, check out the Delcambre Seafood and Farmers Market. Enjoy what's fresh for the season from area farms and local waters, along with tasting opportunities and recipes, live music, kids' activities and other special events.

- The Inaugural Festival of Live Oaks Pageant is being held on March 2, 2019. The pageant is being held as a fundraiser for two local heart recipients and our local New Iberia Aquatics swim team & also to raise awareness about the festival.

Custom ten inch crowns and custom wraparound banners will be awarded to 13 Divisional Queens from ages birth and up. There is a group for every age girl including women, this is a pageant for all. We also have two Ambassador titles, for two contestants raising the most fund for the cause. Every participant will receive a token of appreciation. We will also have visiting queens from around the state.

- Last feast before Lent. Although Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday, literally) is properly limited to Shrove Tuesday, it has come to be popularly applied to the preceding two weeks of celebration. Celebrated especially at New Orleans, LA, Mobile, AL and certain Mississippi and Florida cities. State holiday in Louisiana.

- On March 5, 1770, a skirmish between British troops and a crowd at Boston, MA, became widely publicized and contributed to the unpopularity of the British regime in the colonies before the American Revolution. Five men were killed and six more were injured by British troops commanded by Captain Thomas Preston.

- Food lovers pick this day to enjoy these round, sugarcoated, fruit-filled, Polish pre-Lenten pastries, pronounced "poonch-kee," available in bakers nationwide. Paczki coincides with Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday.

Wednesday, March 6th, 2019

- Parents and their children will enjoy story time, songs with finger play, participate in a hands-on art project, and may explore the museum after the program. This program is free to attend.

Due to the overwhelming attendance the museum has experienced with this program, reservations are required to attend. We ask that you arrive and check in no later than 10 minutes prior to the program starting. If the class is full, the museum will provide you with child appropriate activities for you to partake in the galleries.

- On March 6, 1836, the anniversary of the fall of the Texan fort, the Alamo. The siege, led by Mexican general Santa Anna, began Feb 23rd and reached its climax March 6th, when the last of the defenders was slain. Texans, under General Sam Houston, rallied with the war cry "Remember the Alamo" and, at the Battle of San Jacinto, April 21st, defeated and captured Santa Anna, who signed a treaty recognizing Texas's independence.

- Join us on the second Saturday each month for yoga at the Hilliard Museum led by an RYT-200 certified instructor. Please bring your own yoga mat and arrive 10 minutes before class is scheduled to begin. The classes are donation based with a suggested amount of $10-$20.

- Tenor Javier Camarena and soprano Pretty Yende team up for a feast of bel canto vocal fireworks—including the show-stopping tenor aria “Ah! Mes amis,” with its nine high Cs. Alessandro Corbelli and Maurizio Muraro trade off as the comic Sergeant Sulpice, with mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe as the outlandish Marquise of Berkenfield. Enrique Mazzola conducts.

- Daylight Saving Time Begins at 2AM. Standard time in each zone is advanced one hour from 2 AM on the second Sunday in March until 2 AM on the first Sunday in November (except where state legislatures provide exemption.) Many use the popular rule "spring forward, fall back" to remember which way to turn the clocks.

- Cheylon Woods, Director of the Ernest Gaines Center at UL Lafayette, will lead a discussion delving into how the work of author Ernest Gaines relates to the exhibition Slavery, The Prison Industrial Complex.

- 2017 marks the 55th Anniversary of The Chieftains beginning. Since 1962, they have been six-time Grammy Award winners and been highly recognized for reinventing traditional Irish music on a contemporary and International scale. Their ability to transcend musical boundaries to blend tradition with modern music has notably hailed them as one of the most renowned and revered musical groups to this day.

As cultural ambassadors, their performances have been linked with seminal historic events, such as being the first Western musicians to perform on the Great Wall of China, participating in Roger Water’s “The Wall” performance in Berlin in 1990, and being the first ensemble to perform a concert in the Capitol Building in Washington DC. In 2010, their experimental collaborations extended to out of this world, when Paddy Moloney’s whistle and Matt Molloy’s flute traveled with NASA astronaut, Cady Coleman, to the International Space Station.

Although their early following was purely a folk audience, the range and variation of their music and accompanying musicians quickly captured a much broader audience, elevating their status to the likeness of fellow Irish band, U2.

In Ireland they have been involved in many major occasions, such as Pope John Paul II’s visit to Ireland in 1979 when they performed to an audience of over 1.3 million, and in 2011 as part of the historic visit to Ireland of HRH Queen Elizabeth II. In 2012, marking The Chieftains’ 50th Anniversary, they were awarded the inaugural National Concert Hall Lifetime Achievement Award at a gala event in Philadelphia hosted by The American Ireland Fund “in recognition of their tremendous contribution to the music industry worldwide and the promotion of the best of Irish culture.”

2012 marked the group’s 50th anniversary, and to celebrate this momentous occasion, The Chieftains once again invited friends from all musical styles to collaborate on their latest album, Voice of Ages. Featuring some of modern music’s fastest rising artists (Bon Iver, The Decemberists and Paolo Nutini among them), this album is proof that their music transcends not only stylistic and traditional boundaries, but generational as well.

The Chieftains are never afraid to shock purists and push genre boundaries and the trappings of fame have not altered The Chieftains' love of, and loyalty to, their roots however- they are as comfortable playing spontaneous Irish sessions as they are headlining a concert at Carnegie Hall. After fifty years of making some of the most beautiful music in the world, The Chieftains' music remains as fresh and relevant as when they first began.

Friday, March 15th, 2019

- “Representing Enslavement” is a one day conference (plus a keynote the night before) designed to bring together experts and practitioners in the public history of enslavement in Louisiana. Too often the deep history of enslavement in this region is twisted or erased in service of comfort, tourist dollars, or white supremacy. The conference seeks to foreground the perspective of artists, museum professionals, academic historians, public historians, and organizers in order to make this history present in Lafayette and Acadiana. It seeks to push for lasting changes in the way the history of enslavement is represented in the region and across the state.

The conference runs all day on March15, is preceded by a keynote address by Dr. LaKisha Simmons on Thursday, March 14 at 6:00 pm at UL in HL Griffin Hall 147, "Black Women's Memories: Monuments, History, and the Louisiana Sugar Plantations of Beyonce's Lemonade" and followed by a tour of Whitney Plantation Museum on Saturday, March 16 (transportation is provided). All events are free, but the conference and tour require free advance registration as space is limited.

- Azerbaijan-born, globe-trotting composer and pianist Amina Figarova introduces ten colorful, compelling new compositions performed by her touring sextet plus guests on Blue Whisper, her 13th album since her 1994 debut Attraction.

Figarova's deeply personal, highly evocative responses to social turmoil, distinctive personalities she's encountered and universal transitions of life inform the music on Blue Whisper. Moods range from the haunting beauty of the titular track "Blue Whisper," as well as "Moonrise" and "Hewa" (featuring lyrics in Swahili by Sarah Elizabeth Charles) to the straight-ahead momentum of "Moving Forward," "The Hustler" and "The Traveler," to the sophisticated playfulness of "Pictures," "Marians" and "Juno." In "Hear My Voice," over a martial beat and sorrowful, resolute horn choir, an eight-year-old girl earnestly urges an end to violence world-wide and, with laughter, a request to "Let kids be kids."

Amina Figarova was born in Baku, Azerbaijan, and as a child studied to be a classical concert pianist. In the late 1980s she entered Rotterdam Conservatory to pursue jazz, coming to the United State in 1989 to complete her formal education at Boston's Berklee College of Music (where she met Platteau, a fellow student from Belgium). In 1998 they were invited to the Thelonious Monk Institute's summer jazz colony in Aspen, and after more than a decade of bookings in major U.S. jazz clubs, concert halls and festivals, the couple gained legal immigrant status in 2014. They currently live in Manhattan, and tour constantly.

The compositions "Pictures" and "The Traveler" were commissioned by Jazz from Lincoln Center for its 2014-15 New Jazz Standards series. Blue Whisperis Figarova's second album, after Twelve, on In + Out Records, an independent label based in Freiberg, Germany.

- Louisiana Comic Con is a two day event being held at the Cajundome Convention Center (444 Cajundome Blvd., Lafayette, LA 70506) and will bring together a diverse list of guests, vendors, artists, and fan groups, in an affordable, family friendly environment.

- Louisiana Comic Con is a two day event being held at the Cajundome Convention Center (444 Cajundome Blvd., Lafayette, LA 70506) and will bring together a diverse list of guests, vendors, artists, and fan groups, in an affordable, family friendly environment.

- Every year on March 17, the Irish and the Irish-at-heart across the world observe St. Patrick’s Day. What began as a religious feast day for the patron saint of Ireland has become an international festival celebrating Irish culture with parades, dancing, special foods and a whole lot of green.

- Join us for an evening of live music at the Hilliard. The program of Dr. Andrea Kapell Loewy and Dr. Yu Ling Huang-Davie consists of Flute and Piano compositions of the mid twentieth century, emphasizing the romantic and lyrical aspects of musical collaboration.

- So called by the Native American tribes of New England and the Great Lakes because at this time of year there are signs of earthworms as the ground thaws in preparation for spring. March's full moon.

- The Acadiana Dragon Boat Races is hosted by Iberia ON TAP and involves 26 Dragon Boat teams (21 members per team) participating for the coveted Dragon Boat Race Championship, Best Drummer, Best Tent Area and most Team Spirit to name a few.The proceeds from this years event will go to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Acadiana and New Iberia Parks & Rec.

- Founded by Ronald K. Brown in 1985 and based in Brooklyn, New York, Evidence, A Dance Company focuses on the seamless integration of traditional African dance with contemporary choreography and spoken word. Through work, Evidence provides a unique view of human struggles, tragedies, and triumphs. Brown uses movement as a way to reinforce the importance of community in African American culture and to acquaint audiences with the beauty of traditional African forms and rhythms. He is an advocate for the growth of the African American dance community and is instrumental in encouraging young dancers to choreograph and to develop careers in dance.

The Deslondes is a five-piece band from New Orleans known for their studied and inventive take on southern R&B and Country music. With the release of their sophomore album, Hurry Home, the band has toured extensively while remaining highly active in the local community, creating a unique roots music mecca in the Holy Cross neighborhood of the Lower Ninth Ward. In 2016, with the intention of capturing and marketing the spirit of this formidable music community, Deslondes member Sam Doores cofounded Mashed Potato Records with musician/producer friend Duff Thompson and they began recording bands on an old reel to reel recorder in their vans and in makeshift home studios. "Over the past couple years,” says Doores, “ we have been lucky enough to record, produce, and play with an amazing collection of artists.” For Louisiana Crossroads, The Deslondes bring this special community to the ACA, performing their own material as well as shining the spotlight on a variety of Mashed Potato Recording artists.

- Explore the long and successful career of artist and UL Lafayette College of the Arts Professor of Painting John Hathorn as he looks back on his artist works, his life in academia, and what is yet to come.

- Sharing Circle is a monthly symposium on the anthropological, sociological, psychological, and philosophical study of specific topics in various tribal/indigenous, classical polythiestic, neopagan, and intrapersonal spiritualities. Originally, Sharing Circle covered specific topics in specific religions with a presenter, akin to a workshop. Today, Sharing Circle is much more discussion based. Participants focus on one question per gathering and share their experiences and perspectives with others. The experience is both challenging and informational. Many participants state that they are asked to evaluate their beliefs logically and to entertain ideas you may not have considered before.

The Deslondes is a five-piece band from New Orleans known for their studied and inventive take on southern R&B and Country music. With the release of their sophomore album, Hurry Home, the band has toured extensively while remaining highly active in the local community, creating a unique roots music mecca in the Holy Cross neighborhood of the Lower Ninth Ward. In 2016, with the intention of capturing and marketing the spirit of this formidable music community, Deslondes member Sam Doores cofounded Mashed Potato Records with musician/producer friend Duff Thompson and they began recording bands on an old reel to reel recorder in their vans and in makeshift home studios. "Over the past couple years,” says Doores, “ we have been lucky enough to record, produce, and play with an amazing collection of artists.” For Louisiana Crossroads, The Deslondes bring this special community to the ACA, performing their own material as well as shining the spotlight on a variety of Mashed Potato Recording artists.

- Mar 29, 1848 a massive assemblage of ice blocks formed upstream of Niagara Falls late on Mar 29th and by midnight had stopped water flow over the falls. The ice jam held until April 1st when the waters of Lake Erie punched through and things got back to normal.

- Pop Up Promotions presents Fitness and Beyond. An event scheduled to help everyone make healthy decisions regarding their body from head to toe. Join us for strength training, cardio, massages, and vendors to take care of all of you.

Guests - $ 5 entry fee gets you admission to take any class, use all of the workout equipment, speak to fitness trainers, and meet vendors to help you onto a healthy lifestyle. Chair massages, wash and style sets, samples and advice will be offered. Stay tuned for more details.

- In what is expected to be a Wagnerian event for the ages, soprano Christine Goerke plays Brünnhilde, Wotan’s willful warrior daughter, who loses her immortality in opera’s most famous act of filial defiance. Tenor Stuart Skelton and soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek play the incestuous twins Siegmund and Sieglinde. Greer Grimsley sings Wotan. Philippe Jordan conducts.

Wednesday, April 3rd, 2019

- Parents and their children will enjoy story time, songs with finger play, participate in a hands-on art project, and may explore the museum after the program. This program is free to attend.

Due to the overwhelming attendance the museum has experienced with this program, reservations are required to attend. We ask that you arrive and check in no later than 10 minutes prior to the program starting. If the class is full, the museum will provide you with child appropriate activities for you to partake in the galleries.

Fun things to do in New Iberia

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